1. Technical Field
Aspects of this document relate generally to slide-mountable small electrical device covers, such as for use with electrical outlets and switches. More specific implementations involve flat or while-in-use covers with removable rail members or angled rail members for configuration as either horizontal or vertical use orientation covers using the same assembly.
2. Background Art
Horizontal and vertical mountable electrical device cover assemblies using hinges are known in the art. Some examples of these assemblies are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,763,831 to Shotey et al. (issued Jun. 9, 1998) titled “Universal Cover Plate, Cover Plate Assembly, and Related Methods,” 6,133,531 to Hayduke et al. (issued Oct. 17, 2000) titled “Weatherproof Outlet Cover,” 6,441,307 to Shotey et al. (issued Aug. 27, 2002) titled “Universal Cover Plate,” 6,476,321 to Shotey et al. (issued Nov. 5, 2002) titled “Horizontal and Vertical Mountable Weatherproof Cover Plate,” and 6,979,777 to Marcou et al. (issued Dec. 27, 2005) titled “Weatherproof Electrical Enclosure Having an Adjustable-Position Cover,” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/056,835 to Shotey et al. (filed Feb. 11, 2005) titled “Weatherproof Receptacle Cover with Adapter Plate,” the disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference for their general relevance to the formation and manufacture of cover assemblies. Such assemblies are conventionally made of plastic or metal, may be converted for use with removable portions to adapt the electrical device openings of the base for use with many different types of electrical devices using the same components, and may incorporate spring biased hinge members to enable use in both horizontal and vertical orientations using the same assemblies. Each of these assemblies, however, uses hinge members on the respective cover and base to allow for hinged coupling of the cover to the base.
Other references disclose single orientation sliding covers. For situations where a sliding cover is desirable, the ability to have a single assembly that could be adapted to horizontal and vertical use would be advantageous and reduce the inventory required by stores and installers.